RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE RENSSELAER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Rensselaer County District Attorney, Mary Pat Donnelly and City of Troy Police Chief, Brian Owens announced today that a Rensselaer County Grand Jury has cleared Troy Police Officer Adam Harbour of any criminal wrongdoing in the July 30, 2020 fatal, off-duty shooting of 25-year old Colin Davis which occurred on 17th Street in the City of Troy.
Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly said, “after hearing from multiple witnesses and reviewing the evidence related to the incident, the Grand Jury returned a No Bill.By doing so, the Grand Jury concluded that Officer Harbour was justified in shooting the armed assailant to stop an on-going violent assault.”
The shooting occurred after Harbour intervened in a domestic dispute between the decedent and his wife.Multiple witness accounts indicate that Davis was observed stabbing his wife. Due to Officer Harbour’s actions, she survived the violent attack andcontinues to recover from her injuries.
Donnelly commented, “on the date of the incident, both Troy Police Chief Brian Owens and I, separately, contacted the New York State Attorney’s General’s Office and advised them of the officer involved shooting.At the scene, I was joined by investigators from the Attorney General’s Office who conducted their own evaluation to determine whether that Office had jurisdiction over the case pursuant to Executive Order 147. Once the Attorney General’s office concluded that it did not have jurisdiction to pursue this matter, my office retained jurisdiction over the investigation.”
Executive Order 147 provides the Attorney General with the authority to investigate and, if necessary, prosecute matters where a law enforcement officer causes the death of a civilian and there is a significant question as to whether the civilian was armed and dangerous.
The Grand Jury has been empaneled since July 16th. A grand jury in New York needs a quorum of 16 to hear cases and 12 votes are needed to take action.